Miyabita
by Kumori Ookami
Summary: The gang has been hit with a lot of threats, but none quite like this. This girl is younger than Kagome but stronger than both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru...Strength and speed can't help her now that Inuyasha's turned demon, but his target isn't her now!
1. Three Kinds of Light

Miyabita

By Kumori Ookami 

Scroll One: Firelight, Moonlight, and Enlightenment

Shattering glass and a high-pitched feminine scream jerked the hanyou and his companions awake. Inuyasha jumped up and drew his sword almost before his eyes opened, and Kagome sat up quickly, causing Shippo to roll off her stomach. "Wh-what was that?" Sango reached for her bone boomerang, which was never far off. The four friends ran through the door and out to the covered walkway, searching for the source or cause. Inuyasha's ears were swiveling around, but all he could hear now were rapid footfalls heading for them. He spun around to see Miroku flying with the speed of all-powerful winds, and he grabbed Sango's arm as he passed. "Apparently the princess no longer enjoys our company." Sango rolled her eyes and ran on her own.

When they were a good ways away Kagome stumbled and sat on her heels. The others breathed deeply and Shippo peeked over Kagome's shoulder back in the direction of another palace that banned them, thanks to Miroku and his habit to choose a woman's company. "Well I hope you're happy, monk, because that's another good night's sleep you lost us," Inuyasha stated. "Do not doubt my intentions, I only wished the lady protection from-" "Your ominous cloud?" Sango interrupted. Kagome finished, "The one that appears over the finest tavern in the area? We've heard this one before, you can save your breath." Miroku blinked and sighed. "If that is how you see me…I don't suppose I could make it up to you?" To which both the girls shouted, "Don't even start!"

They set up camp that night in a clearing in between a cover of trees and the open fields, alongside a bubbling creek. Kagome and Sango set up their blankets on the opposite side of the fire from the hentai priest, just in case. Inuyasha had his arms folded in his sleeves, but after a few minutes of staring at the flames he got up and walked out of the range of light. He was trying to hide the light blush spreading over his face. Sango looked up at him, not noticing the tinge of pink. "He does this all the time; he'll go find some tree or another and fall asleep there instead. I think he just feels more comfortable in high places, " Kagome told her friend. They lay down and fell asleep in a few minutes, Shippo on Kagome's stomach, Kirara on Sango's pillow, and Miroku wondering why the princess didn't appreciate his earlier offer.

Silvery-white ears switched rapidly between folding back and pressing forward as the hanyou sat in thought. His golden eyes, usually hard and brittle, were now soft and they wavered and flickered, a candle flame. Inuyasha sighed and raised his eyes to the crescent moon, surrounded by brilliantly glistening stars. He was struggling with an inner battle that had plagued him for months. The thoughts bothered him more and more since that first time he became human in front of her. "Kagome," he breathed.

As usual he thought of Kikyo, but lately (and not just recently) he was thinking of Kagome first. He felt like he still loved Kikyo (at least that's what a small part of his mind told him), but only when sad memories washed over him. Her ceramic self was nothing like she used to be, and he realized he could never have the old Kikyo back. Kagome, though…Kagome was cheerful, and even sweet and kind if you overlooked how many 'sit'-tings he had gone through from her. But unlike Kikyo, he thought about Kagome all the time. He enjoyed Kagome's company, her spunky personality, even her stubbornness that matched his own, and her sense of humor. He was happier in her company than he ever had been in Kikyo's. He couldn't fight the way he wanted to when she was around, he remembered saying that before, but he realized that he couldn't fight at _all_ unless she was there. He was stronger and faster when trying to protect her. And the reason he went through the well after her and dragged her back was because he missed her, though he always said it was because of the jewel shards.

And about his damn ego! His ego always got in the way. Every time he was going to apologize or say something considerate, his ego took over and he blurted out sarcastic or cocky remarks. He never really meant it, but he could never take it back as he spent a good portion of the time after with his face in the dirt and the word "SIT!" ringing through his ears.

'I am happier when she's around, though. This feeling…I can't describe it. It's like part love, and part something else. It's not love like I've ever felt before, this is deeper, and warmer. With all the times we've fought against it…But I always want to hold her in my arms, for real this time. Breathe in her scent, and tell her that I love her, just so she knows.…Did I just say I loved her?' He shook his head, but then allowed a small smile to creep across his face. 'Sure, I could get used to that.' He thought it to himself for a few moments. 'I…I am in love with Kagome. I love her. I love her…' Then he frowned. There's no way he could ever tell her that. He always tried to protect her, wanted to keep her and call her his own, but then again he also referred to her as the 'jewel shard detector' more often than not. For the first time he realized what she must think. If that's all she hears from him, then she must think that's all he sees her good for. 'But that's not true at all! Maybe…someday…I could tell her how I really feel? I know I should.' He spent the next few minutes trying to come up with a good way to tell her, a way that would not let his ego slip in the conversation. 

One of his ears turned back to a sound behind him. "Whadya want, Shippo?" he asked, nicer than he meant to. The little kitsune crawled out of the bushes beside the resting hanyou and sat down next to him. Inuyasha felt a tiny paw place something in his hands, and he looked down at the chocolate bar. He smiled, unwrapped the candy and began eating it. "Why so nice all of a sudden, Shippo, hm? You want something?" The young fox kit looked up at him with big eyes and shook his head. "Ya know, Inuyasha…" the little kit began, carefully as if in pain or expecting to be soon, "if you let your guard down a little you might get to know the people around you… Not everyone's gonna like you, but not everyone's against you either. You're surrounded by friends every day and you rarely turn to them." The inu hanyou's ears slid sideways. "Huh?" Shippo held his arms wide, "Us. Miroku and Sango and me and Kagome. Don't you think of us as your friends? I mean, people try to be nice to you and sometimes, I think…you don't see it." What normally would've earned the kit a pounding turned out to be a great deal of wisdom. And it made Inuyasha think on that. He wasn't alone. He grew up in a world with good points and bad, but he only saw the pain and suffering. When he closed himself off from that world he saved himself from the bad, but avoided the good as well. He needed to figure out when to let out a little. He did have friends around him. "Thanks, Shippo." Shippo opened his eyes (he had braced himself for rage) and looked up, shocked, at the uncharacteristic side of the half-dog demon he thought he knew so well.

Startling icy blue eyes watched the same moon that Inuyasha was looking at, but from a very different perspective. A clear feminine voice spoke softly, "It's been pretty relaxing around here with nuttin' to do." She frowned. "It's monotonous. I'm gonna have to change that." She yawned, stretched, and grinned, letting a fang show through her lips. "Maybe I can convince puppy-Yasha to help me. But that can wait 'til tomorrow. I need to rest, hai, and save my strength. If he's anything like Sesshomaru he's gonna be tough." Her eyes lost the childish glow though, and glistening tears shone turning the ice to crystal as she remembered why she was after Inuyasha in the first place. The true reason she was traveling alone. She bowed her head until her bangs covered her eyes and cried softly, every few moments a name escaping her lips in small gasps and choked-through sobs: "…Haruki…."

****

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Hey, Kagome here! Who is this new girl? Is she looking for a fight? Inuyasha, is she really stronger than you? She says she survived an attack by Sesshomaru, and by the way she's fighting, I'll believe it! And…what is she, anyway? Next time on _Miyabita,_ Not a Demon? See ya then!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, I do however own the idea for this story…. This disclaimer hereby states that Inuyasha, characters, ideas, etc. are copyrighted to Ms. Rumiko Takahashi only, and goes for all the chapters following this one. 

A/N: Hey all! This isn't my first fanfic but it's my first on ff.net! And I think you owe me a nice warm welcome, ne? Well, instead of spendin' lots of money on a party or whatever, how about you give me a nice review? It's free and you may win a car!…..Ok, no cars, but maybe I'll give ya some recognition. You can review and give me public credit, or you can e-mail me at shippou_ookami112@hotmail.com, or you can do both and completely boost my ego! ^.^ And gomen about this being kinda short and slow-coming, I'm working on that.

Btw, I know that my hanyou's name is spelled Inu-Yasha, that's how Rumiko Takahashi put it so that's obviously the right one, but it's easier to just put Inuyasha and leave it at that. I hope you forgive me! A few names are spelled differently depending on whether the author uses the proper name for America or Japan. I will use whichever one sticks in my head and is easier to remember. Gomen for some people seeming a bit out of character, and some have very small parts. I'm working on that too…^.^;;

One more thing; I really have no idea how long Kagome stays in Feudal Japan with Inuyasha, and I'd much rather not think about what time frame this is in according to the series, so I'm taking the easy way out and just not mentioning time, ok? Hope ya don't mind. This neko seirei is [finally] signing off!


	2. So she's not a demon, but what about him...

Miyabita

By Kumori Ookami

Scroll Two: Not a Demon?

Kagome slung her huge backpack over her shoulders, unknowingly knocking Miroku over with it. "He had honorable intentions, of course," scoffed Sango when the young miko turned around and apologized. Shippo sweat dropped and smiled, still not understanding what happened, and Inuyasha didn't notice, he was too far ahead.

The group turned to the path, towards the early sun, but stopped when a feminine voice whined, "Oh…leaving already?" They all turned around and jumped when they saw whom the voice belonged to. It was a girl that didn't look much older than Kagome and was a few inches shorter. Her face could be described as a mix of cute and beautiful. She had dark brown hair that would've reached past her knees if it wasn't up in two buns on the top/sides of her head, her bangs loose in her icy blue eyes. She was rather busty for her age appearance, and Miroku stared at her wide-eyed. She made a mental note to teach him why girls don't like being stared at later. A navy-blue dress hung around her, clasped at her left shoulder. The skirt part draped down around her legs, only it had a slip up the right side so it only covered her left leg the way she was standing. Her outfit accentuated her figure. Accessories that looked like ivory wrapped smoothly around her right leg and left wrist. A staff like Miroku's was lightly held in her hand; it was made of pale gray marble and it was thin and had a ring at the top. Nestled in the top was a sapphire…or at least, it looked like one, but Shippo discovered that the gem changed colors under the sunlight. But what caught Kirara's attention was the girl's cat tail, the end draped casually around the middle of her staff.

Kagome was about to ask if the girl was a hanyou when she 'tsk'ed. "No, no, sweetie, don't you know how important introductions are? First impressions and all that." She raised her eyebrows when Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga and held it aggressively towards her. "Well!" she declared indignantly. "If you don't start talkin' then my first impression will be you're an enemy. What d'ya want with us?" Kagome was going to scold him but she was a little curious herself. "My name," the girl started, her tail twitching irritably, "is Karo-kusa Anrui. I go by Kay with my friends but you don't seem the type." Inuyasha relaxed a little at her name but growled. "You didn't answer my question…" Shippo hid behind Kagome's legs. He hated when Inuyasha got mad but sometimes it was the direction of the hanyou's hostility that scared him more. Karo-kusa shrugged, "I was bored. Say," she said absentmindedly, as though she already knew, "aren't you Inuyasha?" "What's it to ya?" "Nothing, just that I've heard of you before." "Well, I've never heard of you before, and--" She interrupted him, "Oh, you haven't? That's too bad. True that I am not a half-and half but I am unique in my own way--oh!"

Inuyasha swung his blade in the form of the Wind Scar attack. Her aura wasn't evil but he was sick of listening to her.

The girl gasped and leapt back. When the effects of the attack faded she was standing with her hand on her hip, but this time she was glaring at him. "I _meant _that as a _good_ thing." Her tail twitched irritably. "You jump to conclusions and look where it gets you…" she finished with a small sigh.

Inuyasha unleashed all his pent up frustration and 'indecisiveness' from last night's thoughts when he lunged at the offensive cat girl. He swung the Tetsusaiga at her when he was close, but she spun her staff behind her twice before bringing it in front of her and using it to block the sword. Even transformed and with Inuyasha putting all his weight behind it, the blade could only move her staff an inch back, which she corrected by pressing her foot to the bottom of the marble rod. Her quick fluid movements involved only the use of a hand and a foot, without struggling. Her other hand still rested on her hip. Inuyasha barked his earlier question, "What do ya want with us?" Karo-kusa shrugged without wavering in her block, "I already told you, I was bored and needed a little excitement." "Oh, c'mon, there's gotta be something else," he shouted as he tried to push her back.. "If it's the Shikon no Tama you're thinking about," she said calmly, "that's not it." He growled; she wasn't giving him any real answers. At least that threat was lifted, but if it wasn't for the jewel, then what? The only time he could remember someone attacking them and not wanting a shard from it was when Sango thought he had destroyed her village. But if that was the case with Karo-kusa, then why wasn't she more violent or saying such? This was getting too confusing, so he focused on the girl again.

'This girl really is stronger than Inuyasha! She isn't even trying!' thought Kagome as she and the others stared in awe. Inuyasha bared his fangs in aggression and the annoyance that came when he realized the same thing.

Sango called for Kirara and jumped on her back, but the cat/fire demon had only gone a few leaps when she stopped and refused to go any further. "What's wrong Kirara?" The demon exterminator jumped down and decided to run for her attack, but when she swung her Hiraikotsu it bounced off of nothing but air. She dipped to pick it up but lost her balance. Automatically putting her hand out she was shocked to find that she was actually supported by some force, an invisible wall. "There's a barrier!" She yelled back to her friends. 'Kirara must have sensed it…' They all watched the battle, now painfully knowing that they could do nothing about it.

In one quick movement Inuyasha brought the sword around her staff and pulled it from her hands, tossing it far behind him out of her reach. He stabbed at her with his sword but she did a sort of back-handspring and avoided it. She stayed quiet while dodging the little slices through the air by her that his sword made. 'He's really slow.' She did a few tricks that looked like gymnastics around his attacks, which just pissed him off more. 'Her methods are childish…' Miroku was thinking, 'but fluid, and…almost seductive…' He mentally smacked himself for that one but had to smile.

Kay piped up suddenly between dodges. "Hey, don't you have an older half-brother or something?" Inuyasha growled, "The hell does Sesshomaru have to do with this?" She smirked. "I thought so, He's a bit on the feminine side in appearance, isn't he? Wears makeup, fluffy boa, manicured nails…" Inuyasha grinned and almost even laughed. Her sense of humor suddenly made her one of the few people that he fought with but liked instantly. He decided she was alright, as long as she didn't try anything stupid. "Ya know, though," Kay continued, "for such a colorful guy he sure is boring. No expression. You're more fun to fight."

Inuyasha's breath caught quick in his throat. "W-…what? You've fought--" but he blinked and suddenly she was gone. His eyes grew wide and he turned around to the others, shocked, only to find Kay standing on the tip of his sword as he had it over his shoulder (~trust me, he can see her the way he is, just use your imagination and you'll get what I'm trying to say). He blinked and slowly moved the sword up and down. She didn't weigh a thing! He couldn't even feel her bring down the blade at all. And miraculously she held her staff in her hands. She had enough speed to get the staff and be standing on Inuyasha's sword before he even noticed. She examined her weapon, frowned, then jerked up with a death glare towards Inuyasha. She shoved the marble in his face. "This was expensive, you know." "…..Nani?" "Look. You nicked it. A whole piece is off, right there, see?" He squinted his eyes and noticed that, indeed, the blade had chipped a piece of the smooth stone off. His eyes lifted back to hers, almost apologizing. But her eyes were dancing and she laughed. "Don't think a thing of it. It still works, that's all that matters." She smiled, one of those cute grins that take up half the person's face and their eyes squeeze shut. Inuyasha and everyone else sweatdropped.

"But don't think that covers it…" she glared suddenly and growled. 'I didn't know that a cat youkai or whatever would be able to growl…' Inuyasha's thoughts were interrupted, though, when she snarled and lunged at him. She swung her staff at him and it barely missed his head as he ducked. The marble flickered and turned to metal, morphed into a sword before the inu hanyou's eyes, just before it was pressed none too gently to his neck. 

This wouldn't be too much of a problem had the girl not just pried Inuyasha's fingers from his sword and tossed the blade far behind her.

Kagome screamed and ran towards him, thinking that she would do whatever possible to get this suddenly blood-lusting cat girl away from her hanyou. Sango had to wrap her arm around the young miko's waist to stop her from hitting the barrier, as hard as she was running, but she still struggled to go to him.

Karo-kusa's newly transformed sword barely slit his neck. The cut would heal very soon with his demon blood, but the threat was not lessened.

Inuyasha bared a fang at the girl, but stopped growling and flicked an ear back at Kagome. She shouted his name before she wrenched herself from Sango's grasp and flung herself at the barrier. She called out to him again and pounded on the force like glass, only it did not shatter like she desperately hoped it would. Her friends behind her reminded her sadly that there was nothing she could do right now, but she glanced at them over her shoulder. The look in her eyes pained them. "She just got rid of his sword! Don't you know what that means? His demon blood could take over any time now!" The others' eyes widened; they had forgotten that important detail.

Kagome turned again to the barrier and yelled at Karo-kusa, "Listen to me, you have to give him his sword back! Without it--" "Yeah RIGHT!" the neko shouted back. "Give the sword back to someone who's trying to kill me?" "EXCUSE me?!?!" Inuyasha barked under her. "Who's trying to kill who? I was defending myself! Get your facts straight, woman!" He realized what happened without the Tetsusaiga in his hands as well, but since there was obviously no convincing this girl he decided to focus on suppressing his youkai blood. 'I can't do this now…I could kill all of them…I can't do that!' he kept thinking, not that that helped.

Karo-kusa looked down at her opponent curiously. "What the hell…?" His scent was changing slightly, still his, but less…human. Briefly fear gripped her heart but she did not back up. 

Kagome couldn't helped but be terrified as she watched Inuyasha.

When his eyes closed, they were gold. When they opened they were flooded with blood red.

KO: MWAHAHAHAHAZ!! XDv Is this awesome or what???

Inuyasha: O.O …Dammit…

Kagome: *covering Shippo's ears* Inuyasha! Watch it!

Sango: What are you putting us through?

Karo-kusa: YOU?!?! Need I remind you that I am on the same side of the barrier as him! *points to the inu hanyou*

'Him': Feh. It's just a story.

KO: No, it's my masterpiece! *looks at the computer as it radiates with a heavenly glow*

Miroku: Perhaps I could take Inuyasha's place…*thinking thoughts about how no one else would be able to get through*

Sango: *whacks him on the head with her boomerang*

Miroku: @v@

KO: ^^;;

Sango: *cheerfully* Read and review, please! ^-^

Hello, Sango speaking…Well, we do seem to have a bit of a problem. Karo-kusa took Tetsusaiga away from Inuyasha, therefore getting rid of what she thought, I suppose, was the only threat. If only she knew…I just hope that this barrier can hold up to him! And even Kagome's "Osuwari"s aren't working! Miroku says that the spell used for the barrier was to sort of create another world that is separate from everything else. I find myself in a horribly similar position to the neko, though, when she gets the chance to explain why she attacked Inuyasha in the first place, but sympathy won't help us now! Next time on 'Miyabita': "The Power Within." Kagome, what are you doing?!?


	3. The Fourth Light, Modern

Miyabita

By Kumori Ookami

Scroll Three: Headlights: a filler episode

"Kagome has _what_?" "Yes, and she has to stay in bed. It's highly contagious so I suggest you stay out. I'll make sure she gets the message."

"Dad…" Ms. Higurashi warned. She turned to her daughter's friends. "Ayumi, Eri, Yuka, thank you very much for taking the time to come over. Are these the homework assignments?" she asked, wide eyed at the long list the three girls had prepared. "Hai!" they chorused. Eri whispered (because she knew how much Kagome hated asking for assistance), "If she needs any help, make her call me because I have all the notes, ok?" "Give her our best, Ms. Higurashi! Bai!" The woman smiled at their retreating forms.

"Dad, we're out of milk. Anything you want from the store?" Ms. Higurashi called from the kitchen. "Are you walking there?" She rolled her eyes but smiled and turned to her old father, who had miraculously appeared in the doorway from all the way across the house. "Yes, I am and no, I don't need your sutra scrolls. I'm pretty sure demons don't attack women walking a few blocks in the middle of the day." "But, daughter, I read somewhere--" The woman crossed the room and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll be fine. Honestly, I don't know why you worry so much. I bet it's those stories you told to the kids, they're getting to you, aren't they?" she said with amusement as she headed out the door. Kagome's grandfather sighed heavily and limped back to his room to set the bundle of scrolls down, and dust off the others in his 'collection'.

Ms. Higurashi straightened her jacket on her shoulders and greeted a neighbor walking down the sidewalk. 'Father has quite the imagination…sometimes I wonder if that's a good thing…*laugh*… I wonder when Kagome's coming back?' She was fretting through more of a mother's worry and was in such deep thought that she didn't even notice the car until it was too close to move.

KO: AHH! Please don't kill me! *dodges ceramics* I was--just trying to--give you all a chapter! I thought that's--what you wanted!! *dives to the floor to avoid another vase* I promise I'll get the next chappie up soon, the real third one, but….oh, come on, you have to admit that it was a good idea! I mean, if I have two cliffhangers then I might get more reviews! And besides, this time I actually know what I'm doing! I promise the two will come together eventually! It's called a plot, people, sheesh! *gets knocked out by a giant box of Kleenex*

Everyone: *looks back at Karo-kusa*

Kay: *sniffling, sneezing, clutching snotty Kleenex and very obviously has a cold* *'wif a stuffed upb nose'* Get back to me, why dontcha? Everyone wants to read about me! *blows nose again*

Everyone: Eewwww……

Michelle the persocom: *bows and flashes a cute smile* Read and review, please! The better and the more the reviews, the quicker and better the story! Arigatou!


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